Eight killed in Karachi blast

Eight people were killed Monday after a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the home of SSP CID Karachi Chaudhry Aslam. Six policemen who were stationed as guards were killed in the attack, along with a mother and a young boy as they were walking to the school, said Shoukat Ali, a senior Karachi police official. Some witnesses said the driver of the car rammed it into the gate of the house, causing the explosion. But the police said it was a suicide attack. The house was badly damaged, but the intended target of the attack, Chaudhry Aslam, remained safe, said Jamil Khan, a Karachi police official. According to police, a suicide bomber hit explosive laden double cabin van into house of house of the SSP, located in Defence area in Darakhshan Police Station jurisdiction. House of Chaudhry Aslam was destroyed in the blast but the residents including the SSP and his family remained safe in the attack. The blast created six feet deep crater at the site while four vehicles parked near the scene were also destroyed. Window panes of the surrounding buildings were smashed due to intensity of the blast. Television pictures showed twisted metal of a number of vehicles littering the street outside and a thick cloud of smoke hanging high over the blast site. The bodies and injured were shifted to Jinnah Hospital for medico legal requirements. The deceased included Ilmdin, Nazamuddin, Qayyum, Sohail, Munawar, Junaid, Mumtaz Bibi and her son Maheed. Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed the responsibility of the attack. The TTP spokesman said that such attacks against those busy in anti-Taliban campaign would continue in future. In telephonic talk to various media organisations soon after the blast, Chaudhry Aslam said that due to action against anti-state elements and militants, he repeatedly received threats from Taliban and at least he was targeted through car suicide attack. However, he said that such cowardly activities could not weaken his stance and he would continue to take action against the criminal elements. Its worth mentioning that Chaudhry Aslam heads the counter-terrorism unit of the Police Crime Investigation Department in Karachi, investigating militant cells in the city. Additional IG Sindh Saud Mirza told the media persons that more than 300kg of explosives were used in the blast. He said that the attack was conducted by Taliban militants who have been repeatedly threatening Chaudhry Aslam. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah visited the site of the blast and termed the incident as a cowardly act. Home Minister Sindh, Manzoor Wasan who visited the scene of the blast has announced Rs 2 million compensation for the victim police cops. He said that a woman and child who died would also be compensated. He said the government has succeeded in bringing down the acts of target killing and those behind the suicide attacks would also be dealt with. President, Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Chairman Senate, Speaker National Assembly, federal and provincial ministers and leaders of the political parties have strongly condemned the suicide attack on the house of SSP, CID resulting in the loss of precious lives and injuries to several others. Expressing heartfelt condolences with the victims families, they said that those elements playing with lives of innocent people would not escape the law of the land. The President and Prime Minister directed the concerned authorities to provide best medical care to the injured. Taliban spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan, said by phone that Aslam was the target of the explosion. "Aslam has killed and arrested lots of our mujahidin and will have to face the consequences," he said. Ihsan said the explosion is also a message to officials who work against the Taliban and alongside the United States. "All pro-U.S. security officials are our target," Ihsan said. But Aslam said he was "not afraid of this coward attack by Taliban," appearing on national news channels and vowing to continue the fight against the militants. "I have been receiving threats from the Taliban for a long time," the police official said. "I have been defeating Taliban (militants) by arresting them, and will continue until I have last drop of blood in my body." Aslam added, "I will give (the) Taliban a lesson which even their children will remember forever."